Robert Basso ‘67
Man of Achievement

Robert Basso honored with 2018 Man of Achievement Award

ORLANDO, FL — Robert Basso, a retired senior executive in the financial services industry, was honored with the Man of Achievement by the Phi Kappa Theta Foundation. The Man of Achievement Award, started in 1980 and awarded by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, is the highest honor bestowed upon Brothers of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.  The award recognizes members who have risen to prominence in their chosen fields of endeavor. Basso was recognized during the IMPACT18 conference in 2018 in Orlando, FL.

Upon his retirement, he founded BEST Partners LLC, a still active consulting firm. In his distinguished career, Brother Basso served as a Managing Director at the investment firms UBS, PaineWebber and Merrill Lynch, responsible for the clearing services business at each. He served as President/Chairman of Correspondent Services Corporation (CSC), a NYSE member firm and UBS/PaineWebber subsidiary. Prior to his retirement, he served as Executive Vice President of Fidelity’s National Financial Services (NFS) unit, following Fidelity’s acquisition of the CSC business from UBS. Previously, he led Merrill Lynch’s entry into the clearing business, eventually establishing its subsidiary, Broadcort Capital Corp., a NYSE member firm and served as its President. He began his Wall Street career with Loeb, Rhoades & Company.

A leader and spokesperson for the financial services industry for over forty years, Brother Basso also served the industry as a Trustee of the Securities Industry Association’s (SIA now SIFMA) Foundation for Investor Education, as well as, Chairman of its Western District and member of its national board. As Vice Chairman of the NASD (now FINRA) District I Conduct Committee and Chairman of its Nominating Committee.

Robert is a Vietnam veteran and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from Seton Hall University. He followed that by obtaining an M.B.A. from Pace University